Pashan society reaches out to farmers for organic produce

Residents claim that the one-year-old initiative has fostered a healthy lifestyle among them; harvesters in search of a market say they have found bulk purchasers

As organic produce makes way to the city, with farmers finding eager customers in healthconscious locals, a society from Baner-Pashan Link Road has gone a step ahead by inviting the agriculturists to their doorsteps. The initiative has helped both the parties involved — the locals getting toxin-free produce and farmers receiving a good return on their investments.

Physiotherapist Sheetal Sawant of Magnolia Society was perhaps one of the early enthusiastic members to avail this initiative, when she decided to introduce her children to organic fruits after they suffered from a bout of dengue. It brought a positive change. “Instead of spending on expensive medicines, we might as well buy organic vegetables from people we know,” she said, adding, that spending a bit more than chemicallaced vegetables is worth it as even the farmers are benefited from the exchange.

Like her, over 100 residents are benefited over one year, who have bought sulphur-free brown sugar, chickoo and other vegetables.

Another resident from the society, Yogini Karmalkar, who has been buying vegetables and fruits regularly for the past six months, said, “We have many ways of doing charity or contribute in donations. This could be one way to do good social work by helping the farmers,” she added.

Surendra Hari, president of Athashri Housing Society for Senior Citizens, says reaching out to the farmers is a win-win situation. “We as senior citizens can’t move out far in search of safe and fresh food. And the farmers get assured customers,” he said.

It also has health benefits according to the senior citizen. “We have abused our body through food which was not organic during our young years. However, now the fresh food helps with a better digestive system,” Hari added.

Seema Agrawal, from Annadata, a non-governmental organisation which works for food safety and security, has been facilitating this link between farmers and consumers.

“The main objective is to sensitise consumers in all sections about the food they eat. After awareness, they are linked to either farmers or a facilitator (supplier) who can provide them 100 per cent transparency on the source of their food,” she added.

This linking also aids the farmers, who, according to Agrawal, are already stressed over climate change and struggle to seek right guidance at all the levels. “When we want authentic safe food on our plate we shouldn’t expect them to come to us, instead it is our duty to help them in getting their harvest to us,” she said.

The initiative has helped several, like Umesh Bhilare — a young farmer from Mahabaleshwar, who was in search of a market for his strawberries. Bhilare came across a set of people in Pune wanting to buy all of his strawberries.



“I switched to growing organic strawberries but had issues in selling them at a good price. The organic method is slow. By the time traditionally-grown strawberries are sold out, the organic variety gets ready,” Bhilare said.

For four years, he struggled to find consumers for his produce, until 40 per cent of it was picked up by Magnolia Society. It was a relief for him as he could focus on producing the rest of his produce.

Another farmer Manoj Dongare sold grapes in good quantity with the help of residents. “I could fetch a good price as the produce was sold directly to the consumers and the middlemen were eliminated. The customers know the value of safe and toxin-free food,” he said.

Dongare added that the number of fruits sold was also considerable which makes the whole affair profitable and the farmer does not have to worry about searching markets.